[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Hartland 5-9-1985 by resolution.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
A.
The people's right to know the process of government decision-making
and the documents and statistics leading to determinations is basic
to our society.
B.
These regulations provide information concerning the procedures by
which records may be obtained from the Town of Hartland.
D.
Any conflicts among laws governing public access to records shall
be construed in favor of the widest possible availability of public
records.
A.
The Town Clerk of the Town of Hartland is responsible for ensuring
compliance with the regulations herein and is hereby designated as
records access officer. The following persons are designated as assistant
records access officers in their respective areas of responsibility:
A.
The Supervisor is designated the fiscal officer, who shall certify the payroll and respond to requests, in accordance with § 107-6, for an itemized record, setting forth the name, public address, title and salary of every officer or employee of the Town.
B.
The fiscal officer shall make the payroll items listed available
to any person, including bona fide members of the news media, as required
under the Freedom of Information Law.
Records shall be available for public inspection and copying
at the Town of Hartland offices, 8942 Ridge Road, Gasport, New York,
or at the location where they are kept.
Requests for public access to records shall be accepted and
records produced during all hours regularly open for business. These
hours are as follows:
A.
Where a request for records is required, such request shall be in
writing.
B.
A request for access to records should be detailed to identify the
records. Where possible, the request should supply information regarding
dates, titles, file designations or other information which may help
identify the records. However, a request for any or all records falling
within a specific category shall conform to the standard that records
be identifiable.
C.
No records may be removed by the requester from the office where
the record is located.
D.
Within five business days of the receipt of a written request for a record reasonably described, the records access officers must make the record available, deny access in writing pursuant to § 107-7 or furnish a written acknowledgment of receipt of the request and a statement of the approximate date when the request will be granted or denied.
A.
Denial of access to records shall be in writing, stating the reason
therefor and advising the requester of the right to appeal to the
individual or body established to hear appeals.
B.
If requested records are not provided as required in § 107-6, such failure shall also be deemed a denial of access.
C.
The Town Board of the Town of Hartland shall hear appeals for denial
of access to records under the Freedom of Information Law.
D.
The time for deciding an appeal by the Town Board shall commence
upon receipt of written appeals, identifying:
E.
The Town Board shall inform the requester of its decision, in writing,
within 30 days of receipt of an appeal.
Except where a different fee is otherwise prescribed by law:
A notice containing the job title or name and business address
of the records access officers and fiscal officer, a statement that
the Town Board is the appeal body and the location where records can
be seen or copied shall be posted in a conspicuous location wherever
records are kept.